A Social and Environmental Impact Assessment That Examines the Impacts That Have Resulted from the Construction and Operation of the Channel Tunnel
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A social and environmental impact assessment that examines the impacts that have resulted from the construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in European Studies in the University of Canterbury by Rebecca Clements University of Canterbury 2006 Abstract This thesis examines the social and environmental impacts that have resulted from the construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel. Nord-Pas de Calais, Kent, France, Britain and Europe were all affected through the establishment of the Channel Tunnel. Three sections make up the body of this thesis: i. context and theory ii. social, environmental and economic impacts associated with the construction and operation of the tunnel iii. acknowledgement of the impacts that this development has had on the European Union. This study draws from an extensive body of literature in identifying and examining the issues that preceded and followed this development. The social and environmental impacts associated with public opposition, environmental impacts, land possession, soil disposal, environmental disturbance, water pollution, noise disturbance, energy consumption, water contamination, fire safety and asylum seekers remain the principal discussion points identifiable throughout this piece. These issues are largely concentrated on the areas of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent, although they are infiltrating the wider European Union in a number of ways. The social and environmental impact assessments conducted prior to the construction of the of the Channel Tunnel proved to be tools that helped ensure that the bodies driving the development were made accountable for the impacts that arose. These processes also facilitated public involvement through public consultation in the development of social and environmental impact assessment. Early identification and recognition of the social and environmental issues identified by these reports led to a more comprehensive approach to project design, construction and operation. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Colin Goodrich for his patient supervision, guidance, criticism and endless support over the writing of this thesis. It was your practical and insightful teachings that first fostered my interest in Social and Environmental Impact Assessment. This is a discipline that will remain of interest to me for the years to come and I am grateful for all that you have taught me about this field of study over the last two years. Thank you to my amazing group of friends, in particular, Rupert Macintosh and Lizette Good. You have all served to be great sounding boards for me through this process. I am eternally grateful to you all for your perseverance, patience and endless support. I am extremely grateful for the constant and reassuring support offered to me by my parents. Your understanding and generosity made this journey possible. Thank you for giving me the power to challenge myself and the inner knowledge to know that with hard work, anything is possible. You taught me to reach for the stars and in doing this you gave me the tools and knowledge to make this a reality, thank you. This process has been a rollercoaster which has challenged me on an intellectual and personal level. I have developed skills and strength from this process that will serve me well in the years to come. Thank you for supporting me through this process of learning. I dedicate this to you both. This is my analysis and interpretation of the issues and impacts of something I perceive to be an enormous achievement and wonder of the modern world. Table of Contents Abstract i Acknowledgments ii List of Figures iii Chapter One: Introduction 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 The Channel Tunnel 1 1.2 English Channel passageway 2 1.3 The aims and purpose if this research 3 1.4 Thesis format 5 Chapter Two: Background 2.0 Background 8 2.1 Ancient methods of travel 8 2.2 Early attempts 10 2.3 Reasons behind the abandonment of earlier attempts 13 2.4 The context of the 1970s and 1980s that facilitated the establishment of the Channel Tunnel… 15 2.5 Conclusion……………………………………………………. 17 Chapter Three: Legislative Background………………………… 3.0 Legislative background 18 3.1 Environmental awareness and developmental consents processes 18 3.2 The Channel Tunnel Act …………………………………… 21 3.3 The process of contestation 25 3.4 The role of Environmental Impact Assessment in the development process 28 3.5 Consents process 31 3.6 Land acquisition 32 3.7 Treaty of Canterbury 34 3.8 Financial considerations 34 3.9 Conclusion 35 Chapter Four: Scoping and Profiling 4.0 Scoping and profiling 37 4.1 Social and Environmental Impact Assessment 37 4.2 Geographical layout of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent 41 4.3 The social contexts of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent 42 4.4 The economic status of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent 43 4.5 Conclusion 45 Chapter Five: Alternatives 5.0 Alternatives 46 5.1 Project options 46 5.2 Tunnel route options 51 5.3 Design and construction components of the chosen proposal 54 5.4 Issues specific to the chosen transportation route 57 5.5 Conclusion 58 Chapter Six: Development and Construction Issues 6.0 Development and construction Issues 59 6.1 Eurotunnel’s role and assessment of impacts 60 6.2 Public opinion 62 6.3 The positive impact 63 6.4 The environment 64 6.5 Land issues 68 6.6 Soil disposal 69 6.7 Noise pollution 70 6.8 Conclusion 71 Chapter Seven: Post Development issues that have arisen since the Channel Tunnel commenced operations in 1994 7.0 Post Development issues that have arisen since the Channel Tunnel commenced operations in 1994 72 7.1 Public opinion 72 7.2 Eurotunnel’s role 73 7.3 Water pollution 73 7.4 Noise disturbance 75 7.5 Energy consumption 77 7.6 Waste sorting 78 7.7 Fire prevention 79 7.8 Asylum seekers 80 7.9 Impact on local transportation facilities 84 7.10 Conclusion 85 Chapter Eight: Economic Impacts 8.0 Economic impacts 87 8.1 Background 87 8.2 Regional development and transportation infrastructure 88 8.3 Impact on employment 90 8.4 The impact on the ferrying industries in Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent 91 8.5 Changes in tourism 94 8.6 Investment 95 8.7 Conclusion 96 Chapter Nine: The Impact of the Channel Tunnel on the European Union 9.0 The impact of the Channel Tunnel on the European Union 98 9.1 The Channel Tunnel and the European Union 98 9.3 Transportation 100 9.4 Asylum seekers 102 9.5 Impact on trade and travel in the European Union 104 9.6 Conclusion 105 Chapter Ten: Conclusion 10.0 Conclusion 106 10.1 Summary 107 10.2 Construction impacts 108 10.3 Operational impacts 109 10.4 Value of this research 111 10.5 Difficulties with data collection 112 10.6 Limitations of this study 113 10.7 Concluding comments 114 Appendix One 115 Appendix Two 116 Terms of Reference 117 Bibliography 118 List of Figures 1.2.1 The Channel Tunnel 3 2.1.1 Area of interest …………………………… .. 9 2.2.1 Summary of historical dates relevant to the idea of physically connecting France and Britain 12 3.2.1 Timeline of planning procedures for the Channel Tunnel 23 3.3.1 Diagram of the process of contestation 27 3.6.1 Temporary land possession 33 4.1.1 Social and Environmental Impact Assessment project cycle 39 4.1.2 Annex IV of 1985 CEC Environmental Directive 40 4.3.1 Outline of the structure of the British Government 43 5.2.1 Borehole testing 52 5.2.2 Layout and geological composition 53 5.3.1 Proposed European high speed fixed transportation link 55 5.3.2 Layout of the Channel Tunnel development 57 6.4.1 Holywell Coombe 65 6.4.2 Construction complaints 66 7.4.1 The Cheriton terminal 74 7.6.1 Breakdown of processing method of waste disposal from the French terminal in 2003 78 7.8.1 The Sangatte refugee camp 81 8.4.1 Share of road goods vehicles between Britain and Continental Europe by port group 92 1.0 Introduction This thesis is a social and environmental impact assessment (S&EIA) that examines the construction and operational issues that arose as a result of the development of the Channel Tunnel1. This development has had, and continues to have, a direct impact on the environment, society and economy of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent. Environmental restoration, noise, pollution, asylum seekers, security threats, safety issues and visual impacts are the main issues that arose from this venture. This thesis examines these issues illustrating how they affected individuals living in close proximity to the Channel Tunnel entranceways. While these impacts were concentrated on the areas of Nord-Pas de Calais and Kent, they did infiltrate into other areas of France, Britain and wider Europe. In light of this, the final sections of this thesis examine the wider impacts of this development. 1.1 The Channel Tunnel The signing of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 and the Treaty of Canterbury 1986 signaled the beginning of, what would become in the years that followed, a wonder of the modern world. The awarding of the mandate to construct and operate the Channel Tunnel triggered the largest bi-national venture of the twentieth century. This event resulted in an unprecedented level of cooperation between the British and French in the years that followed. It has been recorded that this development came at an overall cost of £6bn (Grayson, 1990, 29). The Channel Tunnel opened for business in1994 and since that time it has proved itself to be an important piece of transportation infrastructure.